by Jeff Ihnen | Jan 5, 2026 | Energy Rant
My annual predictions are always popular with Rant readers. One reason may be that I go off-road and provide an eclectic and bold set of predictions, some of which have very low odds. In 2025, I went from the baby balance bike to training wheels on the artificial...
by Stan Nabozny | Dec 16, 2025 | The Decarbonized Cold Chain
Refrigeration has been around for centuries. Today, in the face of climate change and grid stress, ice is no longer just about keeping food cold—it’s about keeping the lights on. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is quietly becoming one of the most important tools for...
by Jeff Ihnen | Dec 15, 2025 | Energy Rant
This Energy Rant examines the retraction of a high-profile climate economics study from Germany’s Potsdam Institute, which projected catastrophic global economic losses by mid-century. The episode illustrates how implausible modeling assumptions, confirmation bias in...
by Jeff Ihnen | Dec 9, 2025 | Energy Rant
Shortly after the Russia-Ukraine war kicked off, I quoted a panelist from the Wisconsin Public Utilities Institute. He said, “Watch what the Germans do and do the opposite.” My quote referred to the war, but the WPUI gentleman was discussing energy policy....
by Jeff Ihnen | Dec 2, 2025 | Energy Rant
Wanting to take a break from data centers, load growth, and grid stress, I went to my Google Alerts feed in search of some inspiration for this week’s topic. This week’s post was spawned by this ESG Today article, “Is Efficiency Misunderstood?” AI summarized the...
by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 24, 2025 | Energy Rant
A Rant reader asked me to take a break from ranting in lieu of “a piece about things that are going well in the industry despite the current economic climate.” I aim to please. Here is an Energy Happy Clappy. The best thing we have going for us in the industry is load...
by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 18, 2025 | Energy Rant
This week, Rant readers get a threefer on 1) self-inflicted opposing policies, 2) common sense versus uncommon senselessness, and FOOD! Consumers and taxpayers have paid about $50 billion in subsidies to the ethanol industry over the last 40-plus years. Why? Because...
by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 10, 2025 | Energy Rant
I spent a few days farming last week, resulting in a lot of podcast time. A couple of them provided kindling for this Energy Rant or two. The first noteworthy podcast included an interview with David Sacks, Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science...
by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 4, 2025 | Energy Rant
Two weeks ago, I described how liquid-air energy storage systems work. Concisely: Electricity drives air compressors that compress air to rather extreme pressures. This air compression generates a lot of heat, which is the lowest form of energy. Heat is stored in...
by Liz Haworth | Oct 28, 2025 | Energy Rant
Guest blogger Liz Haworth, VP of Marketing at Michaels Energy Following my guest Rant last month about Cracker Barrel’s logo makeover and brand backlash, I’m back with another round of marketing mayhem. This time, we’re swapping barrels for blue jeans and biscuits for...
